Even low levels of lead are a concern

A new study from Johns Hopkins Children’s Center shows that very low levels of lead may be having an adverse impact on children’s kidney functions. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists 10 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood as the level of concern, but this new report shows even lower levels are hazardous. The study was conducted on 769 healthy people between the ages of 12 and 20. The participants had an average lead level of 1.5 micrograms and more than 99% of them were below the CDC’s 10 microgram listing. Researchers discovered that those individuals with lead levels in the upper quarter of the normal range had worse kidney functions than those with lower lead levels.

The use of lead in many consumer products in the United States has been drastically reduced in the last several decades, but dangers still persist. Lead paint, for example, has been banned since 1978 yet it is believed that about one in five homes still have lead paint hazards. As lead contaminated paints age, they deteriorate and can become airborne or settle as dust.

Lead is of particular concern to young children as their growing bodies can absorb more lead and their brain and nervous systems are more sensitive. Lead can even harm babies before they are born. According to the EPA, “to reduce your child’s exposure to lead, get your child checked, have your home tested and fix any hazards you may have.”